The life and times of the Chief Dental Editor of Dental Products Report magazine and dentistry's "Technology Evangelist". Follow my thoughts and travels as I practice, write, lecture, tinker, and experiment with technology and technology in dentistry.

Friday, February 4, 2011

The Combination of DENTSPLY’s NUPRO® and GlaxoSmithKline’s Sensodyne® Brands, Now Both Powered by NovaMin®, Provide Effective Dental Office and At-Home Treatment

York, PA (October 12, 2010) – DENTSPLY International, a global leader in professional dental products, and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), a global leader in over-the-counter treatment and care of tooth sensitivity, have created a system of continuous care products that can be used in the dental office for patients suffering from tooth sensitivity, also known as dentin hypersensitivity and at home to treat high caries risk patients. Tooth sensitivity, an oral problem affecting 1 in 3 people today, can limit people’s ability to eat, chew and enjoy food because of the tooth pain.

DENTSPLY’s NUPRO brand and GSK’s Sensodyne brand have come together to create an effective system designed for the continuous care of tooth sensitivity, from the dental office to everyday use at home. This collaboration is based on NovaMin’s unique, patented calcium phosphate technology, originally invented to treat damaged bones. It has been adapted for use in dental care, being clinically proven to relieve dentin hypersensitivity.

DENTSPLY’s NUPRO brand products have garnered leadership in the prophylaxis paste market through superior performance. NUPRO Prophy Pastes are used by dental professionals to clean patient’s teeth in the dental office and set the standard of excellence leading this category for over 15 years. With four grit choices, ten market-preferred flavors, and both fluoride and non-fluoride pastes, NUPRO offers dental professionals a wide variety of prophy pastes to meet the needs of all their patients.

GSK’s Sensodyne brand is a global leader in the treatment and management of dentin hypersensitivity, offering a wide range of consumer products. In late 2009, GSK acquired NTI, the inventors of NovaMin®, to offer a new standard of care for professionals in the treatment and management of dentin hypersensitivity.

With the incorporation of NovaMin® and collaboration between DENTSPLY and GSK, the Sensodyne product has moved from beyond an over-the-counter toothpaste to one that has created a new option for care for patients suffering from the pain of tooth sensitivity.

Combining NUPRO and the therapeutic benefits of NovaMin®, with Sensodyne’s choice of consumer products, has resulted in a new system of continuous care from chair-side in the dental office to a patient’s home, offering relief from the pain of sensitive teeth. This new system of continuous care includes:

•Sensodyne NUPRO Professional toothpaste – dental professionals can now dispense a toothpaste with NovaMin for patients to take home and use every day. This toothpaste combines the benefit of high fluoride for enamel and dentin remineralization, with the patented NovaMin® technology.

•Sensodyne – provides proven relief for sensitive teeth, with the widest choice of sensitivity daily toothpastes. Sensodyne has long been recommended by dental experts, and is widely preferred by consumers for the everyday management of tooth sensitivity.

“DENTSPLY and GSK have come together with one goal in mind – to provide a continuous treatment program for patients who suffer from the common problem of tooth sensitivity,” remarked Thomas Leonardi, Vice President, DENTSPLY. “We combined some of the most well regarded brands and products on the market to provide a complete solution for patients with both in-office and at-home care regimens.”

“For the 1 in 3 people who experience sensitive teeth, we believe none of them should have to suffer this pain, and through this partnership are offering consumers a new solution. Patients can now expect an effective system of continuous care from the dental office to consumers’ homes through these new products.” (Carlton Lawson, Vice President of Sensodyne, GSK)

For more information, please call:

Dentsply US

GSK UK

About DENTSPLY International

DENTSPLY designs, develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of products for the dental market. The Company believes that it is the world’s leading manufacturer and distributor of dental prosthetics, precious metal dental alloys, dental ceramics, endodontic instruments and materials, prophylaxis paste, dental sealants, ultrasonic scalers, and crown and bridge materials; the leading United States manufacturer and distributor of dental handpieces, dental x-ray film holders, film mounts and bone substitute/grafting materials; and a leading worldwide manufacturer or distributor of dental implants, impression materials, orthodontic appliances, dental cutting instruments, infection control products, and dental injectable anesthetics. The Company distributes its dental products in over 120 countries under some of the most well-established brand names in the industry.

DENTSPLY is committed to the development of innovative, high quality, cost-effective new products for the dental market.

About GlaxoSmithKline

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) – one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. GSK Consumer Healthcare, a division of GSK, develops and markets products in over 100 countries around the world, with a focus on three key categories: oral healthcare, OTC medicines and nutritional healthcare. Our product portfolio includes alli, Aquafresh, Sensodyne, Poligrip / Corega, Breathe Right and Lucozade, among other well-known global brands. To learn more about GSK, please visit www.gsk.com.